Rotary well drilling machinery



C. L. ALLEN ROTARY WELL DRILLING MACHINERY,

Oc t. 5, 1943.

Filed April 17. 1940 mvmoa CHARLES L. mm

ATI'ORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1943 I UNITED. sm'riss' earsn'r ()FFl-C E ROTARY WELL DRILLING MACHINERY Gharles L. Allen, Portland; 0reg., assignor to thirty-five per cent to Victor Thomas Wiglesworth, Portland, eight per cent toH. Victor Adix, Gresham, seven and one-half per cent to Garfield Voget, Hubbard, and four per cent to FredI-l. Thompson, Salem, and two per cent, to

Ellis F. Lawrence, Portland, Greg.

.Application April 17, 1940, Serial No. 330,012

' oiaim. (c1. ass-4.8)

My invention relates to improvements in rotary well drilling machinery.

The invention is comprised'primarily of a casing made up of a plurality of sections and removably secured together.

An electric motor is disposed within the top one of the casings; with means being provided for conducting electric energy through a supporting cable, through the guide spindle to the motor and pumping and screening instrumental? 'ties and speed reducers being disposed'within .the casing to impart and drive rotation to cutter heads that are disposedupon'the oppositely disposed ends of the casing. 1 i

I providespucls upon the exterior of the casing, with pumping and expanding means being provided for outwardly extending the spuds to form contact with the sides of -the well hole being the casing within life, with practical freedom from operating me chanical annoyances. Y

A still furthe'r -object of my invention is to provide expansible spuds ongthe outside of the casing that will--maintainthe casing of the drilling instrumentality free or rotation during the normal drilling operations i A still further object of my invention is to providea drilling head at each end of the casing that will drill a well of larger diameter than that of the casing itself.:v I i A still further object; of my invention consists in placing within the casing pumping means that will, be automaticin operation, having for its purpose the maintaining of spuds disposed upon :the outside of the .cas ing,,infexpandedposition to preventthe rotation of the casing during drilling. a v T With' these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features-of construction and combination of parts, the essential elemen-ts'of which are set forth in theappended claim, and a preferred form of embodi- A ment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms u a part of this specification.

'spudsdisposedupon the outside of the shell. In

the rotation of the shell within the hole being In the drawing:

Fig. I is afragmentary sectional side view of the top end of the device.

Fig. II is a fragmentary sectional side view of the lower end of the device. I

Fig.'III is a sectional end view of the device.

"This View is made adjacent the inside of the head of the topend of the device, the view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. I, looking in the direc tion indicated.

Fig. IV is a sectional end view of the device. This View is made to illustrate the drive for the shaft for rotating the drilling head disposed at the lower end of the device. It also illustrates the spuds disposed at the outside of the shell that are provided'for preventing the rotation of the assembly within the hole being drilled. This view is taken on lined- 4 of Fig. I, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. V is a sectional end View of one of the this View is illustrated an expansible chamber having an expansible bag disposed therein that is used for outwardly extending the spud when desired, the purpose and object being to prevent drilled.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

InFigs. I and II, I have shown a casing made up of a top section I and a lower section 2, with the respective sections being secured together by any suitable coupling connector 3. Suitable fastenings 6 are provided for securing the lower end of the coupling to the bottom end of the casing, and suitable counter sunk bolts 5 are used for securing the top end of the casing l with the coupling 3.

Whil I have here shown the casing as being comprised of but two pieces, I do not wish to be limited in the application or in the construction of my device to but two joints of casing, as a greater number may also be employed.

I place one or more electric motors, here shown as two in number at 6 and 7 within the casing.

-: The motors are spaced apart and have a common longitudinal center line, with the armature shafts of the same being secured together by flanged couplings 8 and 9.

A top head id is removably secured to the top end of the casing, and the same may be threaded thereinto or be secured thereto by suitable bolts Asuspending and pulling stem l2 passes through the head 16 and is journalled relative thereto by suitable anti-frictionbearings l3. -A

drilling has I4 is disposed at the top end of the gear 46.

the inside of the lower end of .thecasing'. Land casing.

A tubular sleeve I5 is disposed about the stem l2, and the drilling head I4 is secured to the top end of the sleeve l5; A suitable stuffing gland i6 is disposed about the stem l2 andsuperposed the sleeve, and the stuffing gland is threadably and adjustably secured to the top end of the drilling head I l. The stem I2 is secured on. its lower end to a spider l2A. The spider l'2-A is secured to a head 4213 by any: suitable fastening means, as through the use of) bolts or-rivets I20.

A cap I! is threadably and adjustably secured to the top end of the stem I12, and the suspending cable It! has an enlarged head [9 disposed upon its lower end, which is suitably journalled' and housed within the top of the cap ll.

' The electric conducting power line 26 passes longitudinally of the stem l 2 and conducts power from the cable l8 into the electric motors 6 and l disposed within the casing.v The lowerend of the tubular sleeve [5 is flanged, as illustrated at 21, and a suspending driving head 22 issecured to the flange 2| of the sleeve I5, the same. being removably secured thereto by suitable, connecting bolts 23. I

The top end of the anti-friction bearing 24 is threaded into the lower face 25 of the head Hi,

, and the top surface of the driving head 22 isfinished, and against which the lower end of the anti-friction bearing 13 rests to form .a suitable bearing connection'between the respective heads land-22.

A driving pinion 26 is-disposed upon the upper end of the armature shaft 27 and the driving pinion 26 coacts with and drives a. plurality of idler gears, here shown as three in number at 28, 29, and Bil. Each of the gears 28; 29, and 30 rotate about a single shaft, as illustrated at 3!, 32, and 33. A driving pinion issecured to each of the gears 28, 29, and 30, as illustrated at 34, 35, and 3B, and an internal gear husk 31 is mounted upon the lower end of the head 22v and is secured V thereto, and asthe pinions 3d, 35, and 36 are rotated, the gear-husk 3'? isrotated and simultaneously therewith the sleeve and the drilling head l4 secured thereto. The respective diameters of the gears and pinions determines the-relative speed ratios of the drilling head Hi to that the driving motors 6- and l, and this desired ratio of speed'is determined by the character of material to be drilled and other drilling conditions.

The respective stufling boxes l6 and 38 prevent the admission of material into the shell l at its upper end. I

I place a supporting, diaphragm fiilwithin the lower end of the shell I and secure thesame to the shell l by any suitable counter sunk bolts 40. The armature shaftv 4! passesthrojughlthe diaphragm 39, and a driving pinion 42 is mounted upon the lower end. of the armature shaft. The driving pinion 42 coacts with and drives a.'plurality of planetary gears, here. shown. as three in number at 43, M, and 45'.

The gears 43, 44, and idcoact withering The ring gear 46 is fixedly securedto a driving disk l! is disposed immediately below the planetary gears, and shafts 48A, 49A, and

EBA are secured to the plate d'l, upwardlyiextend therefrom and act as journal shaftsfor. the gears 43, M, and d5; as-the gears 13,- M, and 45 coact with and travel about the ring gear- 45, the driving disk 41. is; also .rotated. 7

The driving disk 41 is fixedly secured to the shaft 48 and the shaft 48 passes through the coupling connector 3. A stufling box 49 of the conventional type is disposed about the shaft 48. The stuffing box operates in conjunction with a tube 59 disposed centrally of and upon the under side of the coupling connector 3.

The shaft 48 is tubular upon its lower end, as

illustrated at 5|, and a screen 52 is disposed about the tubular portion of the shaft 43. The screen is secured to a ported sleeve 53, with a plurality of ports 54 being disposed within the sleeve, witha like number of ports being disposed within the shell 55 of the tubular portion of the shaft 48', so that pumped fluid may flow through the screen and through the respective ports into the tubular portion 5i of the shaft l8.

The coupling connector 3 separates the top portion of the casing I from the bottom portion 2 of the casing, and a plurality of ports 55 are disposed within the'top end of the-casing to and immediately below the coupling connector 3, so

that fluid, as mud, disposed within the bottom of the hole will flow freely into the bottom end of the casing and coarse drilled material will be trapped within the casing, with the screened upon its lower end by a head 60, and a husk 6! is removably secured, as by being threadedly attached thereto, as illustrated at 62.

A plurality of roller bits 63 are placed within the; husk 6|,andeach of the roller bits are suitably journalled within the husk by bearings 64 and fluid pumped by the pump passes and is discharged through the lower end of the tubular shaft and enters and is discharged through a port 65 which is disposed within the husk so as to permit the pumped fluid being circulated and discharged immediately within the area of the roller bits and at' the bottom of the well being drilled.

It will'be'noted that a relatively large sump 66 is disposed within thepnmp housing into which thefiuid being pumped flows from the ports, 6'!

disposedin the outer periphery of the pump 51.

It will benoted that the, head acts as a head not only for; the pumpzhousingibut for the lower ;end: of; the casing 2: as. well." The head is USQCured-Z to the pump housing 535 by suitable I to. the lower end of; the'casing fastening boltsJO'.

fastening bolts 69, and the.head is also secured Z. by suitable I provide a plurality ofchannels H, l2, and

13; here shownas. threeinnumber and place the same at one or more points vertically along the outer casing l' and 2 and securethe same'to the casing, by any suitable fastening means.

The channels: ll, I2; and I3 are each comprisecl ofside walls M; with'a relatively broad surface ld forming the back, with the back be- .ing. directly engageable upon the outer' surface of: the. respectivecasings.

The outer surface of the broad side of the. channel .is..curved similarly to 'thatof' the casingjo, facilitate the same engaging upon the outer surface of the casing members.

The side walls 14 are made in the form of jaws, with projecting surfaces 11 and 18 being provided, and spuds are provided. The spuds may be made in the form of bars 19, 80, and 8|, as illustrated in Fig. IV, each having a relatively broad base, as illustrated at 82, 83, and 84, with the outer edges of the spuds engaging the inner surface of the spud holders, with projections 85 and 86 being provided, as illustrated in Fig. V and having knife edges 81 running longitudinally of the outer surface of the spud.

An expansible bag 83 is placed within either of the spud holders and immediately behind the spuds, with the expansible bag being hollow to receive an expanding fluid therein. The expanding fluid is delivered into the expansible bag by a suitable tube 89.

A suitable fluid holder 90, as illustrated in Fig. I, is suitably positioned within the casing, and a fluid pump 9| is also disposed within the casing, with communication being effected between the fluid holder 90 and the pump 91 by a pipe or tube 92, with the tube 89 being in communication with and receiving its fluid from the pump 9!.

The pump l is of any suitable make, as a rotary or gear pump, and the shaft 92A .of the pump is supported and suitably journalled within the supporting diaphragm 39.

A driven gear 93 is disposed upon the shaft 92A and a pinion 94 is mounted upon the armature shaft 4!, with the pinion 94 driving the gear 93, to thereby drive the pump 9| for the delivering of fluid under pressure from the pump 9| through the tube 89 into the expansible bag 88. Instead of providing the spuds with knife edges, as illustrated at 81, I may provide a plurality of rollers 95 in spaced relation along the spud, with the rollers coming to knife edges, as illustrated at 96, and with the same being mounted upon suitable supporting shafts 91, as illustrated in Fig. V.

A pressure regulating valve 98 is disposed within the tube 89, to thereby prevent the developing of unnecessary pressure within the expansible bag 88, with a tube 99 being disposed between the pressure regulating valve and the fluid holding tank 90 to by-pass the pumped fluid directly into the fluid holding tank 90.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What I claim is:

In a device of the class described, comprising in combination, a well drill including a shell, spuds disposed on the outside of the shell and extending longitudinally of the shell, and hydraulic means disposed Within the shell for forcing the spuds outwardly from the shell.

CHARLES L. ALLEN. 

